How Is a Postpartum Woman Ceremonially Cleansed?

Postpartum cleansing is a traditional practice common in Turkey. It is generally performed on the 40th day after birth. For the postpartum woman's cleansing, forty small stones are placed in water; the water can also contain forty chickpeas, forty wheat grains, forty rice grains, and similar items. This water is poured over the postpartum woman's head three times, and with each pouring, prayers like "may the forty pass, may forty be finished" are recited. The baby's cleansing is done similarly: the baby is dipped into water three times or water is poured over them. This practice has no religious requirement and is purely cultural tradition. It has neither medical benefit nor harm. Some families practice this tradition while others don't; both are fine from a health perspective.